Pro Golfer Jessica Korda Fires Caddie In the Middle Of The US Open

Jessica Korda fired her caddie today in between the ninth and tenth holes of the US Women’s Open.

Korda, 20, replaced the fired caddie with her boyfriend Johnny DelPrete, himself a pro golfer who never previously caddied for her.

According to ESPN, Korda and former caddie Jason Gilroyed had argued during the first nine holes today. Her performance improved once the switch took place, however. “After shooting 5 over on the front nine, Korda was 1 under the rest of the way. She finished with a 76 and was tied for sixth at 1 over, 11 strokes behind leader Inbee Park.”

Korda said later she was not in the right frame of mind but that after the caddie change, her boyfriend kept her calm. Korda turned pro in 2011 when she qualified for the LPGA tour.

Of the firing of her caddie for the past year Jason Gilroyed — which was first broken on Twitter by Kelly Tilghman — Jessica Korda commented that “I care about Jason a lot. He is a great guy. That’s just how it happens sometimes in life. That was one of those things today that it just unfolded. It was very hard for me to do. I’m not that type of person to take these things really easily.”

According to Yahoo! Sports, the job of a caddie is more important than it appears to the uninitiated: “A lot of people think the only job of a caddie is to carry the bag. That couldn’t be more wrong. A caddie is a swing coach, a mental coach, a voice of reason and persuasion and the person that makes sure, if you go on tilt, that things can smooth over so you can finish your round and not post some absurdly high number.”

Korda’s father, Petr, is a former professional tennis player who is serving as caddy for his other daughter Nelly in this weekend’s tournament in Southampton, New York.

After argument, Jessica Korda fires caddie mid-round in US Open, puts her boyfriend Johnny DelPreti on the bag.